The USO at Fort Leonard Wood is a sea of camouflage. Outdoors, soldiers mill around, eating pizza, talking on cell phones. Inside, tables are crowded as a movie plays on large screen the back. In other areas, pool and table tennis games are taking place while others cruise the Internet and play video games. In the darker corners, some sleep on couches, the floor and chairs.
It's loud, with the constant buzz of conversation and the undertone is one of welcome relief: No work today. Time to go to a “home away from home.”
And that's what the USO is to the many thousands of soldiers that frequent it each week — a home in a foreign land, where they can relax, socialize and find camaraderie in the typical things of life that don't have anything to do with preparing for war.
Working the nacho line on this particular Sunday is Judy French. In a ball cap, jeans and T-shirt, she sports plastic gloves and dishes out the cheesy treat to a line of men and women in uniform that doesn't seem to end.
“I love feeding the troops,” she said, taking a breathless moment away as another steps in to cover her. “I've never been around so many polite young people in my life.”
Her words are demonstrated by the blur of noise. “Thank you ma'am” and “Yes, ma'am” are snippets frequently overheard.
Tiffany Hudgell manages the operations at the post's USO. She shares that 630 people is not a busy day.
Looking around at hundreds of troops gathered, one can only wonder what a busy day would look like.
“Sunday's and training holidays are our busiest days,” Hudgell said. “We average 900 to probably 1,100 soldiers on a good Saturday.”
The mission is always the same, and it's simple: Help the troops serving this country have a place where they can find comfort and know they are cared for while away from home.
“It's important because it lets the service members know we care and we're there to support them,” Hudgell said.
Watching a near-by table tennis game is Pvt. Justin Lawrence.
“It's pretty great. It's a place to kick back and relax,” he shares.
With one of the longest training sessions at Fort Leonard Wood —he's there for 19 weeks, Lawrence said he finds the atmosphere a welcoming change from the daily grind.
“You don't have anyone telling you to do anything,” he said.
Pvt. Rachel Marshall understands what Lawrence means.
It's not that they don't love what they do, it's just that sometimes, everybody needs a few minutes to take a step back.
“It's a nice place for a soldier to come and hang out,” she shares, adding that if the USO weren't there, in all honesty she'd “probably be getting into trouble somewhere.”
Founded in 1941, the USO was spearheaded by several community organizations including the YMCA, YWCA, Salvation Army and Traveler's Aid.
Largely an entertainment-based project, USO provided recreation to troops serving overseas and put on performances that featured stars such as Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Mickey Rooney, The Rockettes, Fred Astaire and Bob Hope.
And while the organization has shrunk over the years, it is still growing, USO Advisory Council chair and volunteer trainer Vergie Mahan said.
“I think having it at a military installation is just it evolving that way,” she shared. The USO organization in Missouri operates four “stations” — two at the Lambert St. Louis International Airport, a Mobile unit that travels and, of course, the home at Fort Leonard Wood.
As a private, not-for-profit organization, the USO depends on donations and volunteers to provide the services it does.
“Volunteers are critical to this operation,” Mahan said. “You cannot run an operation to this level without volunteers.”
The USO on post opened its doors on April 16, 2006.
That summer, they decided to hold a Hawaiian luau party in an effort to give the soldiers something a little different to do.
Mahan recalled that she was the “Bahama mama,” dressed in a muumuu and a silly hat. Serving ice cream that day,
Mahan said all she could think about was the young soldiers standing in front of her, from every branch in the military, and knowing that when they were done with their training, they were probably going to go off to war.
She knew, too, that some would not be coming home.
“The least I can do is stand here and give out ice cream,” she said.
The USO is always looking for donations of approved food items and time.
For more information about the USO or how to get involved, call 573-329-2039.
The organization is open from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday and all training holidays.
Soldiers are never charged for any of the services received at the facility.
FORT LEONARD WOOD — —
